In order to reach climate change targets we must reduce car dependency. How can we do this without nudging people away from cars? And how can we nudge them without taxes?
When people live miles from supermarkets and offices and public transport is not a viable option, which is actually the case for most people outside large cities (and even for some large cities), we are not going to be able to nudge people away from cars, this is simply not realistic.
It's not realistic either to suggest that we can just rebuild everything so that cars aren't needed. We can try to build so that car are less needed but that's a very slow process.
The only realistic option is to have affordable EVs ASAP that fit all needs because people aren't giving up cars. With the current policy schedule we have about 10 years for this to happen.
Of course, EVs have their own issues, both environmentally and in term of impact on electricity grids, so this is not that simple, either.
How do you think we got to this state? It didn't happen overnight. Society used to be orientated around walkable neighbours. Sprawl is a relatively recent development and a product of auto-mobilism. I don't think it would be impossible to walk things back.
This started during the industrial revolution when factories started to need a large workforce and then it continued with offices that also require a large workforce.
When people could not really commute you had company towns so that people could live right next to work, and also be controlled by their employer.
I don't think people want to live in company housing, surrounded by company employees, they also tend to change jobs more often, with both spouses working (so likely 2 different employers).
"Auto-mobilism" is not going anywhere as long as this is the case and I don't see any indication that it is changing. Remote work can help reduce the need for commuting but it won't make it disappear.
You are assuming that commutes are only possible by private car. Sure some of them are, but it would be preferable if commutes were by foot, bike, train, bus... and private car a distant last. This has been achieved in a few places in the world, most of them in Europe.
You get the outcomes you build for, when it comes to transport infrastructure.
I have explained that in practice it's not possible for people to live within walking distance from their work. Cycling extends the range but it's still not enough, and not always practical. Public transport is not always viable either because not practical and economical, and people actually don't like to have to rely on public transport for everything unless perhaps (and again) when they live in the centre of large cities.
> people actually don't like to have to rely on public transport for everything
I'm not advocating complete removal of private cars, but people need to be able to build daily routines that do not require them.
For example, you might live in a village or suburban town, walk to the station and get the train to nearest city where you walk to work. You still have a car for weekends and random errands.
Even within a car dependent lifestyle, car usage can be reduced. This was possible with old style "high streets" where you could drive there, park once, visit a number of shops and businesses then drive home. Now, you travel between a few big box stores much further out of town.
The only realistic option is to have affordable EVs ASAP that fit all needs because people aren't giving up cars. With the current policy schedule we have about 10 years for this to happen.
Of course, EVs have their own issues, both environmentally and in term of impact on electricity grids, so this is not that simple, either.